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Layered Fabric Flower Embellishment

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Happy Memorial Day!  I hope this weekend finds you in good health and with loved ones.  For Mark and me, we’ve found ourselves sniffling and coughing and with wild ones.  Wild animals that is….

Florida: Where the Wild Things Are | The Thinking Closet

First there was Mr. Turtle who we caught trying to take up residence in our garage.  Not so fast slow little guy; back to the lake where you belong!

Then, there was Mr. Snake who slithered across our path while taking a stroll before dinner, almost as if just to remind us that we’re not in Ohio anymore.  Nope.  We’re definitely in Florida now, where 5-foot-long-potentially-venomous-snakes share the sidewalk with you like it’s just business as usual.

I don’t have pics of the massive frog on our back deck or the 3 inch long beetle guarding our front door, but I do have one of a much sweeter “wild” animal who we have affectionately named Mangey.  She’s the stray cat who has claimed us as her own.  She can’t come inside because Mark is deathly allergic, but we put a flea collar on her, feed her, and invite her down to the dock to hang with us.  She’s good people, that cat.  She can stay.

This surge of wildness can only mean one thing: summer is here in Florida.  So, I thought I’d celebrate the new season with a summery accessory: a layered fabric flower embellishment.  Here’s the how-to so you can create one, too…and while I used my Silhouette to create mine, a pair of trusty dusty fabric scissors can also do the trick!  So, let’s begin.

Layered Fabric Flower Embellishment | The Thinking Closet

Tutorial:

Step 1.  Choose and prep your design.  I only recently discovered the “layered flower” designs in the Silhouette online store, and boy, is that a goldmine.  This is just a glimpse of what pops up when you run a search for “layered flower.”

Layered Fabric Flower Embellishment | The Thinking Closet

I settled on a design called, “layered petal flower,” which matched some of the flowers in my fabric.

Layered Fabric Flower Embellishment | The Thinking Closet

I resized it in Silhouette Studio user the ruler tool in my Designer Edition software, so that my largest layer measured 3.5″ wide.

Layered Fabric Flower Embellishment | The Thinking Closet

Step 2.  Adhere clean-cut interfacing to your fabric.  Silhouette offers two different fabric interfacings to iron onto your fabric prior to cutting:

  1. sewable fabric interfacing: thin iron-on material that allows you to temporarily adhere your fabric cut-out onto a soft surface while you sew or stitch it into place (like I used on my rubber ducky appliqued onesie last week).
  2. clean-cut fabric interfacing: thicker iron-on material that allows you to adhere your fabric cut-out onto cards and scrapbook pages or hand-stitch it onto other materials; it’s perfect a layered fabric flower embellishment like this one!

Layered Fabric Flower Embellishment by The Thinking Closet

  • Cut your fabric and interfacing slightly larger than your design.
  • Place the rough side of the interfacing on the back of the fabric and iron it using the temperature setting recommended for that fabric.  Silhouette recommends applying the iron for 2 seconds, but I found mine needed more time…more like 30 seconds.
  • Remove the liner from the interfacing (it should peel off without any interfacing residue remaining on it).

Layered Fabric Flower Embellishment by The Thinking Closet

Step 3.  Cut your fabric petals.  

  • Install your fabric blade into your machine.  Silhouette has a special blade just for cutting fabric to help maintain its sharpness, just like you probably do with scissors!  The fabric blade is a pretty blue color, so you can tell it apart from your standard blade.

Fabric Blade for Silhouette Machines | The Thinking Closet

  • Place your fabric onto the cutting mat, interfacing side down.
  • Be sure to select the “fabric” cut setting (mine recommended a blade setting of 3), and let your machine work its wonders.  It took maybe 30 seconds to cut out the design, after which I was able to weed out the excess material quickly and easily, without needing the aid of some scissors.  Supa’ nice.

Layered Fabric Flower Embellishment | The Thinking Closet

Step 4.  Assemble your flower.  After layering my flower pieces, I realized that using a complimentary solid fabric would help break up the layers.  So, I repeated steps 2 & 3 with a scrap of white cotton fabric I had on hand and then used those in between the layers of the patterned fabric.

Layered Fabric Flower Embellishment | The Thinking Closet

Step 5.  Secure the layers together.  I used the tip of my iron at the center of the flower to bond the layers together.  This made it easier to then sew a button through the four layers (though it did take a bit of force!).

Layered Fabric Flower Embellishment | The Thinking Closet

Step 6.  Hot glue a felt circle and pin or bobby pin to the back.  

Layered Fabric Flower Embellishment | The Thinking Closet

And now’s the fun part….

Quick!  Embellish everything in sight!

Your new floppy white hat:

Layered Fabric Flower Embellishment | The Thinking Closet

Your canvas bag:

Layered Fabric Flower Embellishment | The Thinking Closet

Your hair:

Layered Fabric Flower Embellishment | The Thinking Closet

Your plain ole tank:

Layered Fabric Flower Embellishment | The Thinking Closet

And now that it is {un}officially summer, I might as well say it:

“Let the wild rumpus start!”

Where The Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

More Fabric Flower Inspiration

Looking for more ideas for creating fabric flower embellishments?  Look no further, my friend:

Spring Wreath Tutorial by The Thinking Closet
Fabric Spring Wreath Tutorial
Felt Flower Wreath via The Thinking Closet
Felt Flower Wreath Tutorial

Promo Reminder:

If you want to take advantage of the special Silhouette promotion going on right now on the fabric bundle or on Silhouette machines themselves, remember that you’ve got until this Friday, May 31st.  Click here to nab these deals using the code, CLOSET.

  • 1 Silhouette CAMEO®, 1 of each fabric interfacing, fabric blade, $25 download card: $348.95 $269.99
  • 1 Silhouette Portrait™, 1 of each fabric interfacing, fabric blade, $25 download card: $233.96 $129.99
  • Fabric Bundle: 1 of each fabric interfacing, fabric blade, $25 download card: $53.97 $29.99

Silhouette Giveaway & Special Promotion - Use Code: CLOSET

Annnnd…today is the very last day you can enter the giveaway to win your very own…

Silhouette Portrait!

Silhouette Portrait Giveaway at The Thinking Closet | May 23 - May 27

In fact you have until 11:59 p.m. tonight, Monday, May 27th, so don’t delay!  Follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter widget below to enter.  And remember, if you’ve already entered on a previous day, you can still earn two more entries today by sharing on social media.  Yay!

[This giveaway is only open to U.S. residents, 18 years of age and older.  Sad-face to my international friends.  You can read the rest of the giveaway terms and conditions in the Rafflecopter widget below.]

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Come back tomorrow to find out if you’re the winner!  (And if you’re perplexed by the pirate reference in the Rafflecopter widget, this post is to blame.)

See you then for the great reveal!  {Linking up here.}

Full DisclosureI was not compensated for this post, but I did receive a free pack of sewable and clean-cut interfacing, as well as a fabric blade.  This post contains affiliate links, meaning that if you make a purchase using my code, I receive a small commission.  Please rest assured that as always, I only recommend products that I use and love.

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63 Comments

  1. I’m continually boggled by how much the silhouette can do! Usually when I describe the silhouette to others, I just describe its ability to cut intricate fonts…but it literally seems like there’s no design it can’t cut/create! This flower is super cute and I love its versatility. In addition, I love Mangey…give her a lil tummy rub ‘fer me!

    1. It’s true, Lisbeth. If you can design it or find it online for free (picture OR font), you can cut it! Would love to set you free with my Silhouette for an afternoon and see what you’d come up with! #letsmakeithappen

  2. I love those wreaths. Really cool looking.
    Now the turtle and the frog okay I can handle but that long slithering creature I can not. Hopefully I never find one near our country home in Texas. He looked awfully long. yuck!

    1. Aw, thanks, Carla! I have a fall wreath, a spring wreath…it’s probably time I whipped up a summer wreath! Oh, and since that snake incident, I recently almost ran over a long slithering snake while biking. Ugh! If I ran it over, I think I would have been traumatized for life. And I’m not being melo-dramatic! (Okay, well maybe.) #nevergoingtogetusedtosnakes

  3. I love this idea! I did a few of these in just a few minutes, and with the two colors, you can make two at once! Thanks so much. I love that shape too, I had to get it because it’s so fun!

    1. Yes, that’s exactly what I did! (The two at once.) Super convenient, right? I’m working on a Reader Showcase post for my blog, and if you want to send me a photo of your creation, I’d love to feature it along with a link to My Craft Discovery!

    1. Ha ha. It definitely is easy to get tunnel vision with certain Silhouette mediums…especially something as awesome as HTV. But when you do come up for air, I recommend giving fabric a go. My Silhouette cut it like butter, it was incredible. Reason #428 why the Silhouette machine is AWESOME.

    1. And thank you again for the feature and pin! I really do hope you get a change to make some of your own with that extra interfacing…it was surprisingly easy to put together!

    1. Why thank you, Milena! How fun to connect with someone across the world in Bulgaria! I was just drooling over some of your sewn creations over at your blog, especially that seersucker bow clutch. So cute!

  4. This is too cute! I must say, I am really intrigued by this Silhouette thing..must look into it. I used to own a lot of embellishments like this, but somehow grew out of them.. maybe I should try again!

    1. I find my accessories and embellishments cycle back into my wardrobe over time. So, I went through a headband phase a few years ago…and now, I’m into these cloth flowers. Who knows, I might be rocking scrunchies a la 1989 again soon!

    1. Thanks, Karla! I definitely had the most fun with that – – finding different ways to rock the flower! And Huckleberry Love’s party is one I’ve grown to look forward to, so you can bet I’ll be back.

  5. Such a pretty flower! I love that you can put it on pretty much anything.:) So with all that wildlife spotting, have you seen an alligator in the lake by your house yet?

    1. Not a sighting to be had! I always have my eyes peeled, half expecting him to be chilling in the brush by our dock, but he definitely keeps a low-profile, that gator. Either that, or he has moved on to bigger and better lakes! (There are two lakes that connect to ours.) I’ll be sure to let you and blogland know if I see him, though!

    1. Thanks, Kelly. “Sweet and simple” is what my eye has been drawn to of late…which is ironic considering I’m the gal who painted her bedroom bright red after graduating from college. I suppose our tastes are allowed to change over time, though, right?

  6. Loverly! I now deem you the Silhouette Queen! You are really cranking out some amazing projects with your new best friend. I love this flower! What I love even more is how you can use it to embellish everything as you so graciously demonstrated. Maybe you should whip up a few to embellish your visiting wildlife.
    Hope you and Mark are feeling much better and also staying safe from your wild visitors!

    1. Ha ha! You’ve got me chuckling once again, Jessica…and the thought of that vicious snake with a layered flower embellishment atop his reptilian head does make him seem a bit less vicious. That might be a great tactic to help me get over my fear of snakes. I can just imagine them with flowers affixed to their heads. Lol!

      And I appreciate the title of Silhouette Queen! If that’s the case, then for my first act as queen, I shall decree that every citizen in the land receives a Silhouette with which to craft…and that every day will involve a Silhouette party in the palace where friends from afar (ahem, Texas) can gather to create things like layered fabric flowers for the local reptiles to wear. (Oh my, this comment is getting out of control….)

      1. Oh, the out of control comments are my favorites! I too was quite amused at the thought of the embellished snake, who in my mind resembled the cartoon snake, Kaa, from The Jungle Book, complete with the voice of Sterling Holloway. Thanks for sharing my just a bit off sense of humor and love of creating with fabric! I can’t wait until I get to travel to the palace some day to create with you…

        1. That’s so funny that you thought of Kaa because I instantly thought of Hiss from Disney’s Robin Hood as portrayed by Terry-Thomas. There is a scene that shows Hiss sleeping in a tiny bed under a blanket with a night-cap on…a night-cap just waiting for a layered fabric flower embellishment. Ha ha. (And I didn’t realize Sterling Holloway also did the voice of Pooh and the Cheshire Cat! #funfactoftheday)

  7. I love your fabric embellishment on your floppy hat! Looks fabulous! And eeek about all the Florida critters! We have turtles and snakes here… but much, much smaller and nothing is poisonous here. Hope you had a wonderful weekend! Hugs!!!

      1. Thanks for your well wishes, Bethany. We’re slowly but surely getting better! (I only went through a few tissues today instead of a whole box!)

    1. Thanks for your support of the floppy hat look! With the warmer weather we’ve been having lately, I’m looking forward to more opportunities to sport it around town. (I also like that you can hide behind it…fun if you’re having one of those days where you’re feeling more “mysterious.”) Our weekend was loverly, thanks, Bethany! Hope you had a fantastic holiday yourself.

  8. Lovely creation, Lauren, and so many uses for that one little flower! You surely are tempting me to get one of those creative-cutters; yes, so many cute .99 cent flower templates! First, I have to purge things here and finish some projects before adding new ones…or maybe I should throw the old ones away and start fresh!

    I also enjoyed the list of all the wild things you’ve seen over the weekend. We loved hearing about every one and seeing the photos. I just read a chapter (Correct and Incorrect Ways of Getting Rid of a Snake) in the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series (Blue Shoes and Happiness) about a Cobra being in the Detective agency office and how it was removed…I’ll have to share it sometime. 🙂 Of course that was Botswana, Africa, not Florida!

    Praying for better health for both of you this week!! xxoo

    1. Good to idea to purge and finish the projects you’ve started first…then again, starting afresh might be more realistic! (And easier!)

      And how fitting that you read the chapter on getting rid of a snake recently. I’m curious to hear how that saga turned out; thankfully, I wasn’t trapped in an office with this ole snake. That would have been a nightmare scenario to the enth degree!

      Thanks for the prayers, Mama; already, we feel we’re on the mend. xo

      1. Yay…glad you are on the mend (do I hear a sewing project in this word?). Regarding the snake, the two apprentices tried hitting it with auto tools (wrong approach), but then a skilled snake handler showed up; pinched it behind the head and grabbed it’s tail and took it out to the wild. Fortunately, it ended well, but the apprentices took more credit than they deserved! xxoo

    1. Ingrid, Alex (from Northstory) and I are plotting to find a way for Silhouette to extend their giveaways to include Canadians. You guys are just so gosh darn talented and passionate about Silhouettes, it seems unfair not to include you in the giveaway goodness. Will you join us in our plea?

      And yeah…every time I see a snake, I think it takes a few years off my life. As a New York gal, I’m not used to this kind of wildness!

      1. 🙂 you are hilarious Lauren, you just made me laugh with your “not used to this kind of wildness” ha!ha! 🙂 I would jump and scream in front of everyone, if I would see one! 😉 Yes, I’m in! I will join you guys in your plea, so not fair for us to not be able to participate! 🙂

    1. I know you would just LOVE it, Krista! Especially after drooling over your ombre wood pallet sign. You’d have a field day as far as wood signs are concerned…not to mention the gagillion other ideas I’m sure you already have swimming up in your head.

  9. I love your story about your “wild animals”. It reminds me of a morning just after we moved to the country twenty years ago. I was getting a cup of coffee and notice a little toad hopping down our hallway, as I went to pick him up, much to my surprise, here came a garter snake following the same path! Thank heavens I have great respect but little fear of small creatures, I was just glad an elephant wasn’t next in line!

    Love your flower project, the white layered with the print really makes it pop out! I have to start saving my pennies for a silhouette…it definitely would make a great tool for my crafting projects!

    Have a beautiful day!!!!!

    1. Kris, that story about about your mini zoo at your new country home is hilarious. My favorite part: “I was just glad an elephant wasn’t next in line!” Ha ha. I wish I had your courage when it comes to small creatures, especially slithering ones. I’m not sure quite what I’d do if I discovered one in our house. Probably run for the hills screaming bloody murder!

      And thanks for your kind words about my project; she didn’t turn out half bad, now did she? Here’s to hoping you can snag a Silhouette machine of your own in one of these giveaways, and if not, that your pennies will be multiplied! 😉

      Hope you had a wonderful holiday weekend.

    1. Ha ha! I know, London. A little 99 cent purchase here, a little 99 cent purchase there…it can definitely add up if you’re not careful! (And those layered flowers are pretty gosh durned irresistible.)

  10. Beautiful Lauren! What a creative idea ~ I was gonna ask you what you were doing this Memorial Day but now I know.. sniffling and creating! Very versatile creation!

    1. If you’re going to be sniffling, you might as well be creating, right? In fact, I’ve been bonding with the tissue box so much, I’m starting to think my next creation might need to be a decorative tissue box cover. Ha ha. But we did have a nice low key day today…just the sort of pace we both needed. Hope you, Dad, and Maggie had a marvelous Memorial Day!

    1. I can just see the appliques and embellishments on your pretty dresses and kids clothes now….

    1. You do great work, Morgan! I love that chevron lovie you quilted. A lovie would be such a good size to work on for a starter quilt (*she thinks aloud…and inches closer to her dream of one day tackling the beast that is quilting).

    1. Yay indeed! I know it’s not warm everywhere, but here in Orlando, summer is definitely in high gear! 😉 #thankgoodnessforairconditioning

  11. This is the last straw!! I need a portrait!!!!!!! So I entered just about every way I could, lol 🙂 This post is LOVELY Lauren! The lighting in your pictures is great, and I’m pin pin pinning! Did mark take the picture of the flower in your hair or did you somehow manage that feat?? lol. Hope your memorial day weekend is going swimmingly! Speaking of which, I would love to go swimming today but its 58 degrees currently and today’s low is 48. And here I am thinking it’s almost June! Apparently not :/. I think if I don’t win I’m just going to bite the bullet and buy one before Josh leaves for the summer. An anniversary present for myself, perhaps? lol. Maybe that’s the angle I should go for this time. Oh! Unrelated but I got some bins for my craft stuff!! No more big box of stuff (insert music from psycho here). I will be referencing your craft storage organization tutorial, of course 😉

    Hugs!!!
    <3 gabby

    1. Ha ha, yes, Mark indeed happened to come home just as I was trying to finagle a photo of the flower in my hair and then on the hat. But I proudly managed the one of it on my tank. The old “hold the left arm out and take a selfie” trick actually worked…after the 50th try!

      58 degrees? Yikes, sister! You need to pay me a visit in Florida town. Swim on over!

      And I like the idea of having a Silhouette as an anniversary present! Just think of all of the anniversary gifts you’ll be able to make Josh if you have one! Maybe that can be your angle. 😉

      And I’m really excited about your upcoming craft organization overhaul. Maybe seeing your before and after will give me the kick in the pants I’ve been needing (for a while now) to tackle the hall closet. (It’s scary in there!)

      Hugs back atcha!
      -L

  12. Happy Memorial Day, Lauren!
    Hope the sniffles go away for you both. 🙂
    These flowers are so cute — and forgot to mention it in the previous post, but I love your floppy hat that you got on the cruise!!
    Kenley

    1. Thanks, Kenley! The floppy hat was sort of an impulse buy, but I’d like to think it was one of those good impulses! And since I’m a Floridian now, I figure I can use all the protection from the sun I can get! 😉 Happy Memorial Day to you, too, Kenley. Hope it was magnificent.

  13. Lauren, this is an awesome post! I love that you were able to come up with so many ideas for that cute little layered fabric flower. And your tutorial is the best. I haven’t tried fabric in my Silhouette yet, but this makes me want to get started right away. I’ll definitely take advantage of your promo and get the fabric bundle – yay! Can’t wait to give it a try. Hope you’re having a lovely weekend!

    Debbie

    1. Ha ha. Would you believe it, my ideas were still flowing even after these for diddies…I was just losing the light and needed to stop to figure out dinner. #crafterproblems

      So excited that jumped on the fabric bundle because it means you are going to be inspiring us ALL with your fabric cuts in the not too distant future. What can I say, you’re a woman who know how to wield wonders with fabric!

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